Group Parent Education : Promoting Parent Learning and Support

" . . . Provides a particularly good discussion on feminist perspective, male privilege, and gender-responsible leadership. This is a real highlight for this book and one that is missing from much of the current literature. I would recommend this book for family/parent education preparation courses and I look forward to using this text in the parent education course I teach!" --Kim Riordan, University of Minnesota, Duluth "I see this book as a valuable work that will contribute to the field of parent education training in an effective manner. It is appropriately targeted to professional parent educators who would like to improve and refine their facilitation skills; potential parent educators; and university students being trained to become child/parent/family educators." --Roberta Magarrell, Brigham Young University Group Parent Education: Promoting Parent Learning and Support is a unique and important contribution to the growing field of parent education and support programs. The book builds upon the rich traditions of group parent education while incorporating contemporary theory and practice. The authors draw upon their experiences as parent educators and their expertise as teacher educators to combine different conceptual frameworks for understanding group processes with practical strategies for leading parent groups that blend education and support. The book also includes a chapter on parent-child interaction time as a rich component that enhances parent discussion and learning in parent group settings. Key Features: In-depth focus on group dynamics in group parent education Integration of diverse conceptual frameworks (developmental, levels of involvement, systems theory, feminist perspective) to examine group parent education Focus on the educator-parent relationship and the process for developing caring and trusting relationships Careful analysis of parent group dynamics and difficult situations. Examination of the stages of professional development for parent education Broad appeal to professionals and programs that provide group parent education Group Parent Education will be a valuable resource for students in the field of parent education, as well as child and family studies, social work, early childhood education, psychology, and related fields that work with parents in groups. Current parent education practitioners will also appreciate the detailed case studies and examples and the discussion of specific techniques for addressing important issues in typical parent groups as well as populations of parents with greater needs.

Deborah Campbell holds an M.S. degree in Parent Education and Counseling from St. Cloud (MN) State University. She has been a licensed parent educator for nearly 20 years and has facilitated a variety of parent education groups, including those with teen parents and others with complex issues. She is currently the Director of Early Childhood Family (ECFE) Programs for the Sauk Rapids-Rice (MN) school district Glen Palm has an M.S. degree in human development and family studies from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in social and educational futures from the University of Minnesota. He has been a licensed parent educator for 25 years and also is a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). He is a Professor of Child and Family Studies at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota